Changing Canadian Families PDF

SOCIOLOGY OF FAMILIES (SOCI 371) DR. GBENGA ADEJARE Introduction Family is core to individual and collective survival in Canada and beyond Most people throughout history have spent at least some part of their lives in a family or a family setting Different models of Canadian fam...

SOCIOLOGY OF FAMILIES (SOCI 371) DR. GBENGA ADEJARE Introduction Family is core to individual and collective survival in Canada and beyond Most people throughout history have spent at least some part of their lives in a family or a family setting Different models of Canadian families had always existed in its history Stem/extended families, Euro-Canadian nuclear families, heterogeneous The connection between societal and familial changes is intricate Families have always played a central role in social formation, political and economic systems, and culture Families have always been, and remain, important to our individual, social, and national identities Alterations in lived family experiences often engender discontent, social problems, disappearance, assimilation and/absorption Stories around families are important reminders of cultural values learned or inherited over time Introduction What is a Canadian family? Canadian families are diverse in many way. Historically, Indigenous families maintained identities unique to their various groups. The advent of colonialism in Canada altered family structures in the country. The Ballantyne Project Historical Lens on Families Broad range of family experiences exists. They vary by “race” and culture: - First Nations, Metis, and Inuit families, francophone Catholic families in Quebec; and immigrant families Families are historical actors as opposed to passive recipient of changing ideas and practice In Canada, historical antecedents show how family structures and functions have changed through the phases of precolonial, to colonial and postcolonial epochs Historical Lens on Families Cont’d Is family a culprit? Positive and negative characteristics are usually attributed to the family It is constantly socially constructed and reconstructed Mid-nineteenth century, work and domestic life were increasingly separate “cult of domesticity” and “separate spheres” Changes in family structure brought by modernization, industrialization, and cultural exchanges altered the status quo; the centrality of family as a dominant sphere in traditional societies Education, care for children and elderly people, health and other family functions were ceded to other institutions Historical Lens on Families Cont’d Chain migration in the early 20th Century spurred the emergence of new Canadian families, mostly from Europe. Traditional family functions taken over by institutions such as the church and other charitable organizations, and later the state. High infant and maternal mortality rates in families had negative impacts on the economy and other aspects of society. Historical Lens on Families Cont’d The impact of “Social Gospel” reforms (1890s – 1930s) as an attempt to curb social ills Women using ‘maternal feminist’ arguments to pressure governments to address the problems of poor families Women as indispensable in domestic and public arenas People began to ask questions regarding: Classification of women and children classified as the non-working dependents of male providers Undermining of women’s work by the association of work with waged male labour outside the home Discriminatory immigration policies that excluded families from countries outside of Western Europe and the US (e.g. Chinese Immigration Act) Persecution and suffering of indigenous families as a result of government policies Historical Lens on Families Cont’d The Indian Act (1876) and the subordination of women (patrilineage) and non-recognition of Métis Assimilation and residential schools’ impact on Indigenous families Despite its shortcomings, the male breadwinner model dominated public discourses and public policy on families for much of the twentieth century. Divorce was difficult to obtain by women Single-parent or blended family households existed mainly as a result of spouse’s death as opposed to divorce. Historical Lens on Families Cont’d The roles of Women’s Christian Temperance Union (1874), the National Council of Women of Canada (1893), and rural Women’s Institutes (1897) in defending women’s involvement in public life also brought a significant shift in family formations in Canada. The role of the First World War in women’s involvement in the paid labour force is another important contributor to the change. New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Demographic changes fundamentally affected the size, as well as the life course, of Canadian families These demographic trends were not directly caused by the transition to industrial capitalism but were intensified by it Development of new ideas about children and childhood: Canada’s Century and Century of the Child (1900s-2000s) Centering children, their development, wellness, aspirations, and rights in the society New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d The establishment of the Canadian Council on Child and Family Welfare (later the National Welfare Council) in 1920. Pronatalism offered the solution to the perceived crisis in the family. The 1921 Census revealed a proportionately greater number of married Canadians than at any previous time on record. New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d The 14% decline in birth rate between 1921 and 1931 testified to the continuous spread of birth control despite its illegality. Demographic changes– longer life expectancy, smaller family size, and increased length of marriage. The Great Depression (1929-1939) affected family welfare programs. In 1944, Family Allowance Act was passed. New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d The period of “reconstruction” after the Second World War saw renewed attention to the family Rise in divorce rate after veterans returned The return of the idea of “normal” family in the 1950s The post-war prosperity saw an increase in birth rate (the era of Baby Boom). During this period, a higher number of children than ever before, or since, grew up in the care of both their birth parents. New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d The proportion of lone-parent families declined from about 14 per cent in 1931 to about 10 per cent in 1951, then to a new low of 8.2 per cent in 1966. The political conservatism and social conformity of the 1950s gave way to a resurgence of radicalism in the New Left The sexual revolution and the rise of women’s participation in the labour force and dual income family Decline in fertility rate, and the rise of the “childless by choice” union New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d Increase in life expectancy resulting in smaller portion of the life- course devoted to child care. Percentage of married mothers who worked for wages increased significantly. State-supported maternity and parental leave in the 1990s New Phase: Modern Canadian Families Cont’d Legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005. Declining percentage of married couple families. Increase in the percentage of common-law couples. Continued migration into the country.  Current Realities Post-industrialization, families worldwide are confronted with the challenge of equity, inclusivity, fair trade, and balanced interactions. Canada is not exempted from these biting challenges. Covid-19 – Normalization: old vs new Ideological issues: left vs right Technological drive Globalization Nutrition Economy, politics, education, etc 17  Conclusion The history of Canadian families consists of varied stories of different families functioning in many different ways toward their goal of being families in their own way. Similarly, for the past 200 years, the family has continued to serve as an important unit for shaping individuals and societies. 18 Conclusion cont’d Evidently, the family institution has changed due to many factors like: - Industrialization - Rise of digital economy - Demographic changes - Ideological differences - Change in the status of women - Changing relationship between private sphere of the family and public - Government interest - Societal recognition of different family forms